Bingham wrestlers tally up wins

SOUTH JORDAN — The Bingham wrestling team can celebrate a successful season. Not only did the Miners get three individual state champions — Kade Moss (103-pounds), Mitch Moss (130) and Blake Griffiths (135) — but they competed well as a team finishing in third place.

"On the championship side we did really well," said Miners coach Russ Paulsen. "That is about as good as it gets with three individual winners, and third as a team is about as good as we could have hoped for. Our problem was we just lacked a little bit on the consolation side of the bracket or we could have moved up to second."

Bingham finished with 137 points, only 13 behind second-place Viewmont's 150, and no team was expected to stay with Weber, as the Warriors ran away with the team competition with 241.5 points. The Miners ended ahead of Pleasant Grove (124 points), Brighton (104.5) and Davis (100.5) for another top-five finish.

"I think it is great to wrestle for Bingham," said junior Ryker Vandertoolen, who finished as the runner-up in the 112-pound weight class. "We have great coaches and everyone on the team is out to help each other and try to get the best out of us. It helps when you see your teammate do well. It pumps you up and gets you excited."

Kade Moss completed a remarkable freshman season with a 3-2 decision over Weber's Bracken Nipko in the finals. He finished the year 35-4 with the state title to go along with a Region 3 championship.

"Kade has all the tools you need to be successful," said Paulsen. "He is tenacious. He never quits and he is technically sound. Plus, he is willing to put in the work you need to continue getting better. We expect great things from him in the years to come."

Mitch Moss became a two-time state champion with his 8-1 win over Blake Mangum of Lone Peak in the title contest. After winning at 103-pounds his sophomore year, Mitch had a fourth-place finish as a junior at 119 pounds before bouncing back and winning another title at 130 pounds as a senior.

"It is really a tough jump when you go from 103 to 119," said Paulsen. "I think it just took Mitch a little while to catch up to the jumps in weight, but he really wrestled as well as he could have this week to get that second title."

Although the jump in weight played a part, Mitch said that he also got a little too cocky after his title and didn't put in as much work. Something he said he doesn't think his younger brother will get caught up in.